A Video games Record of Solely Wonderful Hidden Indie Gems and Snubs

Over the previous 12 months we have been slammed with a barrage of superb games, from AAA blockbusters equivalent to Baldur’s Gate 3, Resident Evil 4 Remake, and Alan Wake II, to indie darlings equivalent to In opposition to the Storm, Pizza Tower, and Cocoon. Nonetheless, hidden within the shadows of those excellent video video games that had been performed by tens of millions had been equally spectacular titles that by no means obtained the possibility to bop below the brilliant lights.

On this article, we’ll introduce you to a different 20 hidden indie gems you probably have not heard of, however which absolutely deserve your consideration. Whereas the majority of those titles have been launched in current occasions, we have additionally obtained a number of video games that got here out within the final 3 to 4 years.

These are all indies, and whereas some managed to seize the eye of media or avid gamers, if just for some time, each sport on the checklist beneath will be categorized as a highlight snub. We have listed them alphabetically since that appeared like probably the most truthful method to showcase them, contemplating they’re all fairly darn good…

What number of video games are you aware out of those 20?
> Don’t miss our reader poll on the finish of the article… <

A Highland Song

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At 15 years of age, Moira McKinnon determined to run away and at last see the ocean along with her personal eyes. However the street to the shore is long-winded, full of environmental perils, paths that lead nowhere, and all types of unhealthy climate that may creep upon you in a minute within the Scottish Highlands the place A Highland Tune takes place.

This 2D journey / platformer manages to create an immensely wealthy and distinctive world of intertwined 2D planes with a powerful feeling of depth. A world the place you will get misplaced in a jiffy after making only a handful of improper turns. So you need to climb close by peaks and map your route by fixing map-based puzzles with a purpose to discover your method ahead, transfer deeper into the 2D airplane of the sport to find new routes, and conceal in caves and ruins from occasions lengthy gone to climate storms and proceed your journey to the ocean.

Purchase it from: Steam

Bzzzt

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A pixel artwork platformer that includes tight controls, difficult gameplay, excellent degree design, a standard mode the place a single hit means demise, and a time problem in every degree, Bzzzt is a speedrunners dream, however this does not imply others will not benefit from the sport.

Decrease the problem and Bzzzt transforms right into a extremely satisfying exact platformer with a near-perfect circulation, greater than 50 ranges, and collect-them-all challenges which can be extra suited to common avid gamers who’re wonderful with getting higher at a sport however do not discover the near-insurmountable problem at greater issue ranges all that enticing.

Add various thrilling boss battles, the truth that you’ll be able to end most ranges in a minute or much less, very good optimization permitting the sport to be performed on a toaster or any handheld gaming PC, and you have got one of many slickest platformers of current years that begs to your consideration. Bzzzt presents one thing for everybody, so long as they seem to be a fan of platformers.

Purchase it from: Steam, GOG

Cobalt Core

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Whenever you hear the phrases “roguelike deckbuilder,” a number of the issues that come to your thoughts in all probability embody punishing issue, barebones story, and static battles the place neither you nor your opponents transfer across the battlefield. Cobalt Core subverts these expectations, presenting a deckbuilder roguelike that options an interesting meta-story, a number of ranges of issue, and dynamic battles the place you need to care about your place as a lot as your card synergies.

This sport appeals to those that usually do not get pleasure from roguelikes by encouraging gamers to embark on one other run not solely with guarantees of cool new playing cards and taking part in characters to unlock, but additionally by unveiling a brand new character-specific story bit every time you end a run. This can be a nice carrot-and-stick mechanic for avid gamers who lean extra towards story-rich video games than titles that put gameplay in entrance of all the pieces else. That stated, Cobalt Core just isn’t a one-trick pony with regards to unlocks. Apart from the slowly unraveling meta-story, you additionally unlock new crew members, playing cards, and ships.

And contemplating that every crew member solely has three unlockable story bits – out of 18 bits in complete – and that every ship has totally different unlock necessities, the sport always pushes you to experiment with new crew members and crew combos, every character having their very own distinctive deck of playing cards, and take a look at taking part in at greater difficulties as a substitute of settling right into a feeling-good-but-not-trying-new-stuff rut when you discover a crew and ship combo that fits your playstyle the very best.

Purchase it from: Steam

Dodgeball Academia

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Dodgeball Academia is a sports activities RPG harking back to a Saturday morning cartoon, with gameplay akin to a 90s console RPG, full of humorous and healthful moments, with a forged of quirky however lovable characters and a ton of partaking dodgeball battles. The sport presents a captivating story and a compact sport world full of content material that also manages to maintain the spirit of exploration alive since every a part of the map has its justifiable share of hidden collectibles.

The story unfolds over the course of a couple of dozen hours, with the sport always feeding gamers with new areas to discover and new opponents that can check your dodgeball and roster-building talents. Dodgeball battles are simple at first, however afterward within the sport, you’ll have to sweat with a purpose to be the final man standing. Don’t dodge this sport!

Purchase it from: Steam, GOG

El Paso, Elsewhere

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What would you get should you’d combine components of Max Payne and Management after which glaze the ensuing potpourri with retro visuals? In all probability one thing similar to El Paso, Elsewhere.

This can be a style-and-substance neo-noir third-person shooter that appears and feels nice. Battle tons of bizarrely-looking enemies, use bullet time like there is no tomorrow, and unveil the story of affection gone foul.

The sport options beautiful retro visuals alongside continuous explosive motion the place utilizing bullet time is as pure and frequent as respiration. Ranges are designed in a method to promote Max Payne-like kind of set items the place type is as essential as getting issues executed, the place the expertise of taking pictures baddies is the very best a part of the entire sport. Verify this one out, you will not remorse it.

Purchase it from: Steam, GOG, Itch

Empty Shell

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If one expression may describe Empty Shell, it might be “an train in futility.” Empty Shell is an unrelenting, dissonant barrage of punishing encounters that usually result in a fast sport over.

The sport’s overly darkish, twisted, ill-defined visuals that continuously drive you to squint with a purpose to see the enemies marching in direction of you provides a second layer of unapproachability that punishes its gamers each by way of gameplay and visible presentation.

However should you persevere and provides Empty Shell an opportunity, you are in for a deal with. At the least should you like gruelingly tough survival horror video games with an obtuse, twisted story, oppressive environment, and roguelike gameplay loop. The sport’s tactical gameplay that does not forgive errors can turn into tremendous addicting. In case you like this type of video games, you may end up awake at 3am after one more defeat, urging your physique to seek out sufficient power to embark on simply one other run.

Purchase it from: Steam

Islets

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Islets is a one-man undertaking that oozes artful design and love for the Metroidvania style. As a substitute of taking place the route of blocky pixel artwork, Islets makes use of hand-drawn art work to provide life to the tiny but courageous mouse you play as, and its playground made of varied islands floating among the many clouds.

The sport appears nice but additionally incorporates a well-designed gameplay loop the place you discover pretty giant standalone maps full of upgrades, bosses, and delightful surroundings. The catch right here is that your objective is to reunite the fragmented islands, which in flip mends the maps and drops new areas to discover and upgrades to gather, making the method of backtracking the style is understood for a lot much less tedious than in most different metroidvanias.

Apart from the attractive hand-painted visuals, music in Islets can also be worthy of reward. Lush visuals mixed with sprightly melodies give Islets a vivacious and luxurious environment, the exact opposite of the somber tones of Hole Knight. Locking it in is comparatively easy fight that is not too exhausting, permitting gamers to deal with exploration and contentment of the sport’s astonishing ranges as a substitute of making an attempt to git gud with a purpose to beat the boss they have been caught on the final three hours.

Purchase it from: Steam, GOG, Epic Games Store

Loddlenaut

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Decide up trash, recycle supplies, clear the ocean, and revive the planet. The premise of Loddlenaut is easy, and this cozy sport within the vein of “A Quick Hike” does not attempt to oversell itself, not like many different such titles that market themselves like they’re the second coming of A Quick Hike.

The sport’s chill gameplay and the truth that you’ll be able to befriend cute axolotl-like loddles will win you over the second you set in your diving helmet and dive into the polluted ocean of the planet GUP-14, which can quickly be cleaned by none aside from your self. Loddlenaut is a wickedly cozy sport with slews of appeal.

Purchase it from: Steam

OlliOlli World

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The primary two OlliOlli video games had been tons of enjoyable, and the newest entry maintains the unbeatable high quality of the OlliOlli circulation expertise whereas additionally taking the franchise into 3D realms. Lauded by critics however failing to turn into a smash indie hit critiques had been hinting at, OlliOlli World deserves your consideration should you’re into the fast-paced combo-hoarding type of video games that pack tons of favor and substance.

The sensation of touchdown one combo after one other whereas driving by means of deftly designed ranges and whereas the frenzy of pleasure in your mind is rising with every second till you cross the end line and uncover that you’ve got managed to accrue sufficient factors to advance to the subsequent degree is among the finest examples of a top quality tension-and-release design in a contemporary sport. And should you’re into conquering every degree, the sport presents various additional achievements that often require full dedication to be obtained.

Purchase it from: Steam

Patch Quest

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Patch Quest is a peculiar indie sport that mixes a number of the finest components of roguelites, metroidvanias, and shmups, infuses them with Pokemon-like creature gathering, and serves the ultimate course with an additional dose of problem. The sport world is humongous and rife for exploration, however you will have to attend a bit and die a couple of occasions earlier than you get hold of sufficient upgrades to outlive on the planet of Patch Quest for lengthy sufficient to embark on prolonged runs and truly handle to attain some cool loot and unlock extra everlasting upgrades.

When you get the ball rolling the sport opens up, and also you’re greeted with a ton of content material that features quite a few objects to acquire, everlasting upgrades to unlock, dungeons to discover, and managers to beat. One other excellent news is that taking pictures here is phenomenal, with the sport packing a large sufficient number of weapons and skills to not flip stale when you turn into highly effective sufficient to current an actual hazard to the denizens of Patchlantis. Final however not least, the sport helps split-screen co-op for as much as 2 gamers, which means you’ll be able to shuffle issues up with a buddy as soon as solo exploration begins to turn into uninteresting.

Purchase it from: Steam

Pseudoregalia

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Pseudoregalia is a 3D metroidvania that places the enjoyment of movement in entrance of all the pieces else. Its N64-like visuals could also be off-putting to some, however when you enter the citadel, unlock a couple of talents that make traversing the degrees a breeze, and embark on the search to seek out all keys wanted to face the ultimate problem, Pseudoregalia turns into one of the crucial addictive metroidvanias on the market.

Every degree within the sport features a few areas you’ll be able to attain by pulling off inventive, sequence breaking transfer combos and utilizing the extent design to your benefit. This design determination all the time retains you guessing whether or not you’ll be able to advance together with your present set of strikes or need to unlock extra talents, eliciting a charming gameplay loop full of rewarding discoveries.

The one factor we advise all potential gamers is to make use of the sport map out there on this Steam information, except you get pleasure from free-form exploration and sometimes getting misplaced in sport worlds for hours on finish.

Purchase it from: Steam, Itch

Roadwarden

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In case you fancy taking part in a text-based RPG with troves of decisions to make and delightful isometric pixel artwork embellishing nearly each dialog window, look no additional than Roadwarden. That is an expertly crafted RPG the place many aspect quests embody various impactful decisions to make and the place combating mobs contains plenty of studying, typing, and clicking on multiple-choice solutions.

This choose-your-adventure sport does not attempt to escape its text-heavy roots, nevertheless it additionally manages to create a gameplay loop the place you cease caring about not with the ability to swing your ax at unhealthy guys and as a substitute embrace the sport’s dialog home windows full of textual content and cute pixel artwork illustrations.

The sport contains three lessons to select from, every distinctive sufficient to supply a totally totally different expertise than the opposite two; a terrific incentive to beat the sport a number of occasions. Professional tip: if you would like the utmost degree of immersion, flip the time restrict off and take your time absorbing the masterfully written fantasy world of Roadwarden.

Purchase it from: Steam

Rush Rally 3

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One man’s journey of making an final indie rally simulation had began years in the past on smartphones, with the third iteration of the Rush Rally collection being the primary one to launch on PC. And, oh boy, this one’s a keeper.

In case you like Colin McRae video games, together with the newer Dust titles equivalent to Dust 2 and Dust 3, you will love Rush Rally 3. The sport is a simcade rally racer with a meaty marketing campaign and greater than 20 rally vehicles from all eras you’ll be able to unlock, customise, tune, and improve. The levels are a pleasure to drive and may get greater than a bit tough as you progress by means of the marketing campaign mode.

As for the driving mannequin, it leans extra in direction of the arcade however contains real looking physics of driving over totally different surfaces, in addition to fairly detailed deformation and harm fashions. Lastly, whereas the visuals will not blow your thoughts, they match properly with the general retro really feel of the sport, taking you again to the 2000s and early 2010s, the golden age of Colin McRae and Dust video games. In case you desire isometric racers, try Rush Rally Origins from the identical developer.

Purchase it from: Steam

South Scrimshaw, Part One

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A free visible novel that includes an authentic story a couple of whale rising up in an ocean that is uncannily comparable but completely alien to ours in addition to a number of the finest illustrations you will ever see in a sport is a deal you should not miss, even when visible novels aren’t your cup of tea.

As a substitute of taking part in out a branching story full of decisions, penalties, a number of endings, and all that jazz, South Scrimshaw presents a singular method of telling a narrative in a online game. This visible novel makes use of a pseudo-documentary type of narration with absolutely voiced strains and exhaustively detailed worldbuilding that features particulars not solely about lifeforms occupying the stated ocean but additionally in regards to the human-led expedition that found the planet on which the story takes place.

If there is a main flaw with the sport, it is the truth that it ends type of in the midst of the story and that now we have to attend for half two to see how the story ends.

Obtain it from: Steam, GOG, Itch

Stasis: Bone Totem

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The Brotherhood is a studio with a knack for isometric journey video games boasting a observe file that features admirable achievements equivalent to Beautiful Desolation and Cayne. Their newest sport, Stasis: Bone Totem, is arguably The Brotherhood’s finest sport up to now.

Whereas previous video games from The Brotherhood lacked in a technique or one other, Stasis: Bone Totem is the place all the pieces clicks into place. You have obtained spectacular visuals, intelligent puzzles which can be enjoyable to unravel, an interesting story, phenomenal worldbuilding and artwork path, an excellent soundtrack, and a gameplay loop that tries to innovate on the tried-and-true point-and-click journey hallmarks.

And whereas journey aficionados will almost definitely adore this one, Stasis: Bone Totem must be performed by everybody who likes darkish, bleak sci-fi video games with a top quality story. Better of all, regardless of the sport being a sequel to 2015’s Stasis, the 2 video games solely share the universe they occurred in.

Purchase it from: Steam, GOG, Epic Games Store

Super Woden GP 2

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In case you’ve ever wished for a retro-styled isometric tackle the legendary Gran Turismo 4, Tremendous Woden GP 2 is that sport. The meat and potatoes of the sport contains the hefty marketing campaign that can see you drive vehicles in a dozen totally different lessons, every class with distinctive dealing with and methods to go quick across the tracks. The sport presents a ton of various vehicles to acquire, both by unlocking them by successful championships or shopping for them at automotive tons.

Regardless of the sport’s arcadey dealing with, every championship in Tremendous Woden GP 2 feels totally different. Rally vehicles can drive throughout grass and dust nearly as quick as on asphalt, compact hatchbacks speed up like lighting and are tremendous simple to manage, however their max pace leaves one thing to be desired, whereas the highly effective GT vehicles have each the acceleration and max pace, however require a gold certificates on the braking academy.

The various providing of championships, the power to improve every automotive you personal, in addition to a slew of content material together with four-way split-screen native multiplayer for when your mates come out, weekly on-line occasions with leaderboards, greater than 180 vehicles to unlock, and variety of significantly tough time trial races that put your mettle to the check make Tremendous Woden GP 2 top-of-the-line indie races on the market, interval.

Purchase it from: Steam

The Multi-Medium

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A simple but partaking puzzle platformer gameplay the place each degree follows a unique artwork type with the one fixed being the ragdoll-like taking part in character, and the truth that each asset present in The Multi-Medium is hand drawn or hand painted make this one a doozie.

Mechanically, The Multi-Medium performs like your traditional puzzle platformer. You spend your time operating, leaping, avoiding obstacles, fixing puzzles, and combating varied bosses and common enemies whereas making an attempt to remain alive and go to simply one other world. However as the sport progresses, you uncover that almost all worlds characteristic a singular gameplay mechanic that retains stuff recent and prevents the sport from turning right into a chore after the preliminary amazement with the incredible artwork design fades.

The platforming sections are intermittently dotted with varied puzzles which can be, most often, comparatively easy but enjoyable to unravel, supplying the sport with quantity of partaking content material however stopping gamers from getting caught on that one super-hard puzzle discovered in lots of different comparable titles. On the finish of the day, The Multi-Medium is a cute little hidden gem that revels within the environment and is among the finest methods to spend a pair hours of your free time.

Purchase it from: Steam

Tunguska: The Visitation

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When you’re ready for S.T.A.L.Okay.E.R. 2: Coronary heart of Chernobyl, you would strive Tunguska: The Visitation. This sport takes the S.T.A.L.Okay.E.R method and locations it in an isometric perspective, all whereas holding even nearer to the primary inspiration for each video games, Roadside Picnic. As a substitute of the zone being across the Chernobyl nuclear half, the Soviet Exclusion Zone in Tunguska: The Visitation is situated across the Podkamennaya Tunguska River, close to which the mysterious Tunguska explosion occurred in 1908.

The Soviet Exclusion Zone is full of perils but additionally treasures, untold tales, and tons of enemies starting from fellow human stalkers to otherworldly mutants that may flip the environment in direction of survival horror the second you encounter one.

The sport’s designed as a light-survival shooter with RPG components, permitting gamers to design distinctive builds revolving round taking pictures all the pieces that strikes, sticking to the shadows, or all the pieces in between. You have obtained tons of content material, a chunky story with various cool discoveries and twists, and an exploration-heavy, zero-quest marker gameplay loop that always drives you ahead into the unknown.

Purchase it from: Steam, GOG, Itch

Under A Star Long Cold

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Below A Star Lengthy Chilly is one more stealth-focused micro sport from Antonio Freyre that options retro visuals and good stealth motion gameplay. However not like most of his different works that observe a linear story, Below A Star Lengthy Chilly is an open-world sport that duties you with looting sufficient assets to pay your money owed earlier than the planet you are on will get destroyed. You’ve gotten half-hour, and the way in which you deal with this time-based problem is totally as much as you.

This time trial twist retains the sport recent and provides it a ton of replay worth. You’ll be able to strive totally different approaches and techniques and check whether or not you’ll be able to end a run efficiently sooner by taking it gradual and quiet, or using a guns-blazing method.

When you amass sufficient money to repay your money owed, you’ll be able to simply stick with your favourite schtick and take a look at beating your excessive rating, or strive mixing issues up. The well-designed stealth gameplay will in all probability turn into the go-to method for many gamers, however the appreciable problem of your debt-repaying quest will almost definitely be a motivation to experiment whereas making an attempt to get off the planet alive.

Purchase it from: Steam, Itch

Zortch

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Zortch Maxinum needed to avoid wasting money, so she booked a less expensive vacation package deal. The alien ruse has succeeded, and Zortch is now caught in an alien world making an attempt to get again dwelling whereas killing hordes of fairly unfriendly aliens that come in additional than 30 flavors. Zortch is a love letter to FPS video games launched throughout the early 2000s; the sundown of the N64 and the daybreak of the PS2 period.

The visuals observe the requirements set by the PC and console shooters of that point, however the degree design leapfrogs many of the stated video games, providing an explosive motion sport full of early aughts humor and uniquely designed weapons. Zortch is a correct banger that must be performed by everybody who grew up throughout the golden age of N64 and PS2. In any case, a sport endorsed by David Szymanski of the Nightfall and Gloamwood fame cannot be unhealthy.

Purchase it from: Steam, Itch

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